President Joe Biden’s primary strategy of pushing South Carolina as the first primary state may lead him to lose in Iowa and New Hampshire if those states are successful in securing the first two slots.
The president’s team is indicating his name will not appear on the ballots in Iowa and New Hampshire — which traditionally held the first two primaries — if they defy the Democratic National Committee and vote before South Carolina, Axios reported. Biden could still receive write-in votes, but his absence on the ballot could lead to stronger-than-expected showings for other Democrats like Marianne Williamson or Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is polling at around 20 percent nationally.
The DNC approved the new primary calendar in February, putting South Carolina in first place, followed by New Hampshire and Nevada. The new calendar completely pushes Iowa out of the early window for Democrats, but the midwestern state remains first up for the GOP. (RELATED: Far-Left Presidential Candidate Announces Major Party Shift That Could Sink Biden’s Reelection Bid)
Some Democrats in Iowa and New Hampshire are frustrated with the move. Both states have laws requiring them to have the first primaries in the nation, and Iowa Democrats have proposed moving their nominating contest’s date to the same date as Republicans, according to the Des Moines Register. Defying the calendar, however, could lead to the DNC stripping Iowa and New Hampshire of their delegates.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 05: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. greets a guest during the Michael Smerconish SiriusXM Town Hall live broadcast at The Centre Theater on June 05, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Lisa Lake/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
The DNC’s new schedule has been painted as a push for greater diversity, given the smaller and whiter populations of Iowa and New Hampshire.
Democratic South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, however, has suggested that Biden is angling to avoid “embarrassment.” Biden performed badly in Iowa and New Hampshire in 2020 — finishing in fourth and fifth place, respectively — but won South Carolina decisively.